


But I am That Good

by drakonlily



Category: Repo
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-12-21
Updated: 2009-12-21
Packaged: 2017-10-04 22:49:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,009
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drakonlily/pseuds/drakonlily
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Amber knew how to get her way before she was even Amber.</p>
            </blockquote>





	But I am That Good

**Author's Note:**

  * For [random_chick](https://archiveofourown.org/users/random_chick/gifts).



> Amber Sweet was the name that Carmela Largo chose. At the time of this fic, she goes by her given name.

"But it's mine it's mine it's MINE!" Carmela's little foot stomped down viciously. Even at five, the youngest Largo child had presence, determination, and was a bit of a spoiled brat.

"Oh stop being a little cu-"

"Luigi, can we not use such language?" The music instructor looked more than a little frightened of the eldest Largo child. He had a vicious temper and a wicked tongue. The problem with watching all of them was that the three were seemingly disconnected or hating each other.

Until you made little Carmela cry. Then her brothers could come across rooms like thunderstorms and take someone apart like half starved dogs. It was little wonder that Rotti couldn't keep a woman in his life. This was further complicated by the fact that little Carmela cried at the drop of a hat.

Somewhere along the line she learned that if she did that, people came to her beck and call.

"I can't give it back to you till you practice your scales. You want to be as good as Mag, don't you?"

The tears immediately halted and Carmela grit her teeth. "I _am_ that good." Her pale arms crossed in front of her chest and her little nose tilted up. "Daddy says so." She held out her arms and demanded the teddy bear.

"Then prove it." The toy went above one of the Rotti's massive fireplaces and the teacher's fingers hit the keys on the piano.

Carmela did sing, as requested, but the whole time her eyes were focused on the way the wires that held the piano together would tremble and move. She watched the way the match colored hammer would strike and create the tone and the pitch. She smiled largely as she sung.

The moment the lesson was finished Carmela gripped her teddy bear firmly. She waited till the front door had closed before dropping the toy and bellowing "LUIGI!"

"Jesus, Carma, what are you fucking screaming for?"

She sniffled with large, fake tears. "My teacher is nasty and mean to me, Luigi!" She snatched the bear up and held it by one hand. "And her face is too pretty and her stitches are all misplaced on her neck." One could buy a nice voice, if one was rich enough. Or had a good enough credit score. "I don't like her at all…" Carmela wandered to the piano then, the bear nearly dragging on the ground.

She pointed into the piano. "Look!" And then she began plinking down on the A sharp above middle C. "Watch the wire, it looks _real_ sharp, don't you think, Luigi?" She hit the note again and again, a staccato to her voice. "I bet you could cut someone's bad voicebox out real good with that."

Her brother knew where this was going and he crossed his own arms in much the way that Carmela had done before. "Dad said if I killed anybody else this month I wouldn't get my allowance."

Carmela's big eyes went wide. "Why brother, what makes you think that I want you to do that?!"

"I know you, and you said 'brother' you know, like that makes you less evil."

Carmela bit her lip again. "Luigi, come on, look!" she stroked the key like a normal child would have pet a kitten. The hammer dinged down in an effortless, soft manner that made the string tremble softly. "Touch it, it's real soft."

Her brother obeyed, but kept an eye on his sister as though he feared that she would drop the top of the massive grand piano on his head if he wasn't fast enough. One eyebrow arched. "That does feel funny."

"Sharp, almost, huh?"

Luigi nodded, because there was something nearly sharp about the way that the wire coiled. He noticed then, that the wires were all slightly different sizes and lengths. He'd never much been into music, not the way that Carmela had.

"See, you could really be creative, everything's different, all different sounds." She ran her hand over a scale then. "Pretty."

"You got a good ear, kid," he smiled and ruffled her hair as the idea fell into place.

"Luigi! Come _on_ she growled at him and shook the teddy bear.

"I said I wouldn't get any _money_ Carma!" Money was a powerful thing and made even the eldest Largo change his tone if Rotti threatened to remove it.

"You're chicken. Aren't you? I knew I'd have to do it all by myself. Or find someone else 'cause you can't."

That was all that he needed. Luigi turned his own nose in the air and stomped out of the room.

-+-   
Carmela was busy going through her spare closet. In all actuality it was a room that was littered from ceiling to floor with toys and dusted in every soft color that was typical for girls. She heard the door open and ran down the steps.

"Luigi!" Her brother was red from head to toe and careful to leave his shoes outside. Their father had fits when he tracked blood in. In his hand was a cooler. And he smiled broadly at her.

After he pulled off the stained shirt and left it behind on the couch, she picked it up and held it to her. It smelled like devotion, like someone who would do anything she asked, and that was the best thing she'd ever known. She wanted it more than a mother, or to be able to sing better than Mag. She wanted to be in control.

"We made beautiful music together." Then he held up a little sack.

Carmela snatched it like she did most of the presents that her brothers collected for her. The voice box was soft and still warm in the clear plastic bag. She pinched at it, admiring the way that it felt and how slick the tissue was. She could clearly make out the barcode on the side.

"Well this was ours anyway."

It served the teacher right. No one told Carmela Largo anything she didn't want to hear.


End file.
